Chocolate Pudding

Total Time: five minutes

Prep Time: five minutes

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

one 17.6 oz. container plain non-fat or low-fat Greek yogurt
one 13 oz. jar chocolate hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)
1-3 Tbsp. confectioner's sugar

Preparation:

Mix Greek yogurt & Nutella together in a mixing bowl. Taste, & add confectioner's sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until desired sweetness is reached. In case you like the tangy taste of actual yogurt, you will probably enjoy this chocolate pudding without any additional sugar.

Black Russian Cake

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Prep Time: ten minutes

Total Time: one hour

Ingredients:


Cake:
one package dark-chocolate cake mix
one cup vegetable oil
one (3-ounce) package instant chocolate pudding
four eggs
3/4 cup strong coffee
1/2 cup creme de cacao
1/4 cup Kahlua
.
Topping:
one cup confectioner's sugar, sifted
two Tablespoons strong coffee
two Tablespoons Kahlua
two Tablespoons creme de cacao

Preparation:

Merge the cake mix, oil, pudding mix, eggs, coffee, creme de cacao, and Kahlua in a sizable bowl. Beat for four minutes until smooth. Pour in to a greased 10-inch tube pan until three-fourths full. (Save any remaining batter for cupcakes or to basically eat on the spot.)

Prepare the topping by combining the confectioner's sugar, coffee, Kahlua, and creme de cacao. Mix well and spoon over the warm cake.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove from the pan and invert onto a serving plate. Punch holes throughout the cake with a skewer or ice pick.

Yield: 8 to ten servings

Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Ingredients:


one devil's food cake mix
four sizable eggs
one cup sour cream
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup oil
one cup chocolate chips
.
Raspberry Glaze:
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jelly
two Tbsp. water
.
Chocolate Ganache:
3/4 cup heavy cream
8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
.
Fresh raspberries for garnish

Preparation:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease & flour a tube pan or bundt pan.

With an electric mixer, beat cake mix, eggs, sour cream, water, buttermilk & oil together until smooth.

Stir in chocolate chips. Pour in to prepared pan. Bake 42-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out tidy.

Cold .

Heat raspberry jelly & water in the microwave for 30-90 seconds until smooth. With a pastry brush, brush raspberry glaze over cooled cake. Let cold one hour.

Heat cream in a tiny saucepan over low heat until scalded. Whisk in chocolate chips. Continue to cook, whisking, until thickened. Pour over cake.

Garnish with raspberries, if desired.

Chocolate Moist Cake

Prep Time: one hour
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: one hour, 30 minutes
Yield: 24 servings


Ingredients:


two cups all-purpose flour
two cups sugar
one cup butter
three Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
one cup water
two eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
one tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
two tsp. vanilla extract
Marshmallow Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar)
7 oz. jar marshmallow fluff or marshmallow cream
two Tbsp. shaved chocolate for garnish (optional)

Preparation:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Mix flour and sugar together in a gigantic mixing bowl. Place butter, cocoa and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Add to flour mixture, mixing well.

Make marshmallow frosting: With an electric mixer, beat butter until fluffy. On low speed, beat in about one-third of the powdered sugar. Add the remaining powdered sugar, beating until incorporated. Beat in marshmallow cream.

Beat in eggs, buttermilk, baking soda, salt and vanilla. Pour in to prepared pan. Bake 20-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out tidy. Chilled cake .

Frost damp chocolate cake with marshmallow frosting. Top with chocolate shavings, if desired.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Marshmallows

Cook Time: twenty minutes

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with non-stick foil. 

one stick (8 Tbsp or 1/2 cup) butter, melted but not hot

one box (18.25 ounces) dark chocolate cake mix

one (16 ounces) jar marshmallow fluff

one cup peanut butter, chunky or smooth

Preparation:

In a giant bowl, merge cake mix & melted butter with a fork until crumbly. Remove 3/4 cup & set aside. Spread the remainder of the cake mix crumbles evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking pan. 

Remove lid of marshmallow fluff & warm in the microwave on High for 30 seconds. Drop dollops of marshmallow fluff evenly over the cake mix crumbles. Gently smooth marshmallow fluff over the crumbles, without dislodging the bottom layer. 

Sprinkle reserved cake mix crumbles over the top of the top layer. 

Warm the peanut butter in the microwave 30 seconds on High. Drizzle evenly over the marshmallow layer. 

Bake 15 to twenty minutes, until marshmallow pops through & begins to lightly brown. 

Chilled before cutting. These are rich, like sweet bars, so cut them little. Store covered at room temperature. 

Yield: 24 to 36 servings, depending on cut size

Chocolate Peanut Butter

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: two cups

Ingredients:


1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1-1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
one teaspoon vanilla extract
one teaspoon instant coffee granules
one teaspoon hot water

Preparation:

Melt chocolate chips in a double-boiler or in the microwave until smooth. Take care not to scorch the chocolate. Let cold until barely warm, but still liquid.

Mix instant coffee with hot water until dissolved. Add coffee to the chocolate peanut butter mixture until combined.

Scrape melted chocolate in to a large bowl. Add peanut butter, butter, sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir until thoroughly combined.

 jars of chocolate peanut butter make great gifts for any occasion and also work well for bake sales and other fund-raisers.

Scrape in to glass jars with tight seals. Serve as a spread with cookies, crackers, or toast or use as a filling for cakes.

Yield: about two cups

Chocolate Chestnut Triffle

Cook Time: ten minutes

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:


6 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate
one 16-ounce can whole chestnuts, or 1-1/4 pound fresh
6 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
2-1/2 Tablespoons brandy or other liqueur
one teaspoon vanilla
.
For the coating:
14 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
one to 1-1/2 cups pure cocoa powder

Preparation:


To prepare centers, melt chocolate in a double boiler & permit to cold.


If using fresh chestnuts, cut a cross on the flat side of each shell, put in a huge pan, cover with cold water, & boil for five minutes. Remove the shells & inner skins. Rice the chestnuts.

Cream the butter & sugar together until fluffy, about three minutes. Add chestnuts & flavorings to the butter/sugar mixture & blend well, then stir in the cooled chocolate. Mix well.

Roll in to balls 1-1/2 inches in diameter; if mixture becomes soft to shape, chill for several minutes.

To coat, melt the chocolate on a plate over boiling water; let cold. Carefully roll the truffles in melted chocolate, then place on a plate of cocoa powder & permit to dry for several minutes. Dust each truffle with cocoa & place in paper sweet cup. Store in refrigerator.

Yield: five dozen truffles